Rejecting teacher resignations, Normal Unit 5 tests how Illinois might respond to staffing shortage

Rejecting teacher resignations, Normal Unit 5 tests how Illinois might respond to staffing shortage

ByIllinois Public Radio

NORMAL — Unit 5 has invoked a rarely used state statute that allows school districts to reject teacher resignations in certain circumstances. McLean County’s largest district denied four resignations, submitted by special education teachers weeks before the first day of school. Two of the teachers agreed to stay for the 2022-2023 school year. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s402/audio/2022/09/unit5resign-segment.mp3 Listen…

These Illinois grads say student loan relief will help them move forward
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These Illinois grads say student loan relief will help them move forward

ByIllinois Public Radio

Student debt has soared in the 21st Century. It went from $520 billion in 2006 to now over $1.7 trillion. The Biden administration recently announced a student loan forgiveness program. Some borrowers could have as much as $20,000 forgiven. The White House estimates that around 43 million borrowers could be eligible for some debt forgiveness. Of those, close to half could…

Illinois Republicans look to gain control of the state Supreme Court this election
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Illinois Republicans look to gain control of the state Supreme Court this election

ByIllinois Public Radio

CHICAGO — Illinois Republicans last controlled the state Supreme Court the same year the former John Hancock building opened along North Michigan Avenue, and the Chicago Cubs infamously blew the National League pennant. History buffs will recognize that year as 1969. In other words, it’s been a long time. But this November, that 53-year string…

A green painted bike lane symbol on a road

Official Illinois Bike Maps available

ByIllinois Public Radio

The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced new-and-improved Illinois Official Bike Maps, a free and convenient resource showcasing the state’s vast bicycle network of trails, paths and streets. Maps for each of IDOT’s nine districts include new features and designs that make them easier to understand, while including more information on noteworthy stops and attractions…

Frustration lingers as Jelani Day’s family and supporters gather for celebration of life on 1-year anniversary

Frustration lingers as Jelani Day’s family and supporters gather for celebration of life on 1-year anniversary

ByIllinois Public Radio

A celebration of life for late Illinois State University graduate student Jelani Day on Saturday night resembled a spiritual revival, a rally, a memorial and a party with music, food and dancing. The event at ISU’s Bone Student Center was to remember Jelani Day, a 25-year-old from Danville who was pursuing a graduate degree in…

Millions to keep invasive fish out of the Great Lakes, but who is protecting the Mississippi River?

Millions to keep invasive fish out of the Great Lakes, but who is protecting the Mississippi River?

ByIllinois Public Radio

HAVANA, Ill. — Federal and state agencies spend millions of dollars every year to keep destructive invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, at least 25 destructive species — like water fleas and bloody red shrimp — are inching closer to the Mississippi River Basin. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s528/audio/2022/08/08.24.22.InvasivesFeature.mp3 Listen to this story here.  Invasive silver carp…

‘Teacher shortage’ stories are everywhere. Is school staffing in Illinois actually more difficult this year?

‘Teacher shortage’ stories are everywhere. Is school staffing in Illinois actually more difficult this year?

ByIllinois Public Radio

ROCKFORD — With the new school year starting, reports of a “national teacher shortage” are at an all-time high. But is staffing a school actually way harder this year than previous years? Is there a teacher shortage? A superintendent at a small school district in rural Illinois might tell you about how elementary teacher positions…

Duckworth, Salvi court ag industry voters in campaign for U.S. Senate
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Duckworth, Salvi court ag industry voters in campaign for U.S. Senate

ByIllinois Public Radio

LEXINGTON — An array of issues, ranging from biofuels and renewable energy to livestock protection and trade agreements, faced Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Republican challenger Kathy Salvi during the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable candidates forum Wednesday in rural Lexington. The recently signed Inflation Reduction Act and the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plan…

Illinois schools launched initiatives to close Advanced Placement class racial gaps. Did they work?
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Illinois schools launched initiatives to close Advanced Placement class racial gaps. Did they work?

ByIllinois Public Radio

ROCKFORD — Advanced Placement — or AP — classes were created over 70 years ago to give high school students a jump-start on the path to college. Students can earn early college credit by scoring high on AP tests. But, even in 2022, that opportunity often isn’t available to every student. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s528/audio/2022/08/0822apf.mp3 Listen to this…

Diverse Corn Belt project will explore agronomic and economic benefits of transformed crop rotations

Diverse Corn Belt project will explore agronomic and economic benefits of transformed crop rotations

ByIllinois Public Radio

NORMAL — Over the next five years, the Diverse Corn Belt project will be conducting research to discover opportunities that can be created from diversified farming systems and investigate the impacts of transformed crop rotations. The multidisciplinary research project funded by a $10 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will…

Duckworth voices concerns for reproductive procedures, birth control after Roe reversal

Duckworth voices concerns for reproductive procedures, birth control after Roe reversal

ByIllinois Public Radio

BARTONVILLE –U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth says she’s concerned the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision could lead to additional limitations of reproductive choices. “The Dobbs decision on Roe v. Wade wasn’t about banning or not banning abortion. It was about whether or not people with uteruses have the…

Ukrainian students visit sister city of Rockford for respite from war

Ukrainian students visit sister city of Rockford for respite from war

ByIllinois Public Radio

ROCKFORD — Two Ukrainian girls recently danced across the stage of Rockford’s historic Coronado Theatre. It was one of their last days in the U.S. before heading back home. The chaperones, some of them parents, and their teenage friends smile as they watched them waltz. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s528/audio/2022/08/0815ukrf.mp3 Listen to this story here. There hasn’t been much…

‘Ours is the real patriotism’: Dems go on attack against ‘lunatic fringe’ GOP at state fair

‘Ours is the real patriotism’: Dems go on attack against ‘lunatic fringe’ GOP at state fair

ByIllinois Public Radio

SPRINGFIELD — Democrats’ annual Illinois State Fair rally day in Springfield on Wednesday featured all the usual trappings of the affair: a well-attended brunch program in the morning, barbecue and beer out at the state fairgrounds in the afternoon, and antipathy for Republicans throughout. The GOP will perform that sentiment in reverse during its political…

Bailey courts ‘parental rights’ voters with activist group that called Pritzker a ‘groomer’

Bailey courts ‘parental rights’ voters with activist group that called Pritzker a ‘groomer’

ByIllinois Public Radio

SPRINGFIELD — Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey on Tuesday said he’d prioritize eliminating “critical race theory” and “egregious” sex education standards from Illinois schools if elected to replace Gov. JB Pritzker in November, courting a relatively new coalition of voters radicalized during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey made those comments to a small rally outside the…

State Farm faces more race discrimination lawsuits in Texas and Georgia

State Farm faces more race discrimination lawsuits in Texas and Georgia

ByIllinois Public Radio

BLOOMINGTON — Four people have filed race discrimination lawsuits against State Farm in recent weeks. Two were filed in Texas and two were filed in Georgia. The new cases are in addition to similar lawsuits filed against the insurance giant that WGLT previously has reported on. Each of the plaintiffs, five women and one man,…